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Here, the pacifistic monks of Athenas practice serene meditation techniques in tranquil isolation. This makes them something of an easy target.
— In-game description

Athenas is a misty, tranquil, and mostly uninhabited planet ruled by the Order of the Impending Storm,[1][2] a monastic sect dedicated to non-violence and studying Sirens. Although the planet is the site of an Eridian Vault, it has historically drawn far less attention than other Vault worlds, such as Promethea and Pandora.

History[]

At some point long after the fall of Eridian civilization, Athenas was colonized by humans and eventually came to ruled by Queen Dido, a Siren. During his travels, the legendary Vault Hunter Typhon DeLeon visited Athenas to see its Vault. This was a crime under Dido's reign, however, and Typhon was captured. Before accepting his banishment, Typhon asked Dido for a dance, sparking a relationship between the two that lasted several years until the elderly Dido passed away. Typhon was still living on Athenas when the Order of the Impending Storm arrived and took over. He finally left in disgust after one of the monks requested that he bring them a Siren.

According to ECHO Recorders obtained by Angel, the Siren Maya was given to the Order of the Impending Storm as an infant. The monks raised her on Athenas and used her reputation as a Siren to scare the populace into obeying them for 27 years. When Brother Sophis, a leading monk of the Order and Maya's caretaker, attempted to force Maya to execute several "criminals" with her Phaselock, she realized the Order's manipulation and killed Sophis in a rage. Maya then left Athenas to find answers about her Siren heritage on Pandora.

Between the events of Borderlands 2 and Borderlands 3, Maya returned to Athenas to learn more about Sirens. The Order had mellowed considerably in her time abroad, and she decided to live alongside the monks and act as their protector, since they had all sworn oaths of non-violence. By this time, Athenas had become a modestly popular tourist attraction due to its relation to Sirens and its Eridian ruins. Maya later chose Ava as her apprentice after encountering the latter on a transport ship and sensing that the girl would one day become a Siren.

A brigade from Maliwan's Mergers and Acquisitions division led by Captain Traunt invaded Athenas in an attempt to annex it for its Eridian ruins. As the monks could not raise a hand to defend themselves, the battle against Maliwan was left entirely to Maya, with some assistance from Ava. She was eventually aided by the Crimson Raiders, who arrived in the system via the Sanctuary III to recruit Maya and obtain the Athenas Vault Key fragment. After Captain Traunt was killed and Athenas was liberated, Maya and Ava joined the Crimson Raiders to take the fight to Maliwan and the Children of the Vault.

Involvement[]

In Borderlands 3, Athenas makes its first physical appearance as an accessible location via Sanctuary III. Due to its lack of mass colonization, it is the smallest location in comparison to the other planets, having only a single accessible map that is used to progress the main storyline, and only one side mission is made available on the planet throughout the game.

Points of Interest[]

Stormhaven Square[]

Windward Plaza[]

The Holy Distillery[]

Dido's Remorse[]

The Anchorhold[]

Inhabitants[]

Common Enemies[]

Notable Enemies[]

Notes[]

Trivia[]

  • Athenas has two unidentified moons.
  • The map location Dido's Remorse may be an oblique reference to the aria "When I am laid in earth", more popularly known as Dido's Lament, from English composer Henry Purcell's opera Dido and Aeneas.
    • Dido is a character from the Roman play The Aeneid, a play written by the poet Virgil about the mythologized founding of Rome. Dido is the founder and first queen of Carthage, and she and the main character Aeneas have a romantic relationship. When Aeneas leaves her to continue his journey to found Rome, she kills herself.[3]

References[]

Media[]

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